Filling-exhaustion-indicating mechanism for looms.



, A. E. RHOADES. FILLING EXEAUSTION INDIGATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. v

APPLIOATION FILED 0UT.21,1908.

912,2 5, Patented Feb,9,1909.

2 SHEETS-$HEET 1.

AfE'. RHOADES. FILLING EXHAUSTION IND IGATING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED 0OT.21,1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ing drawing, is a specification, like characposition; Fi ...5 is a similar view but showmg feeler devicewhich at intervals contact. with present invention is of a recent type wherein tails of construction and errangement where- 'no claim'being made by me to the broad'feaoFFroE.

ALONZO E.

RHOAQES, o1 H PEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, As'sreNon TO Dali-P COMPANY, or HOBEDALI I-,=MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MAINE.-

rmmonxnnus'rrou-m moarme mncnanism non LOOMS.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that ,1, LoNzo E: Rnormns, a citizen of the United btates, and .resident of Hopdedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an. Improvement in Filling-Exhaustion-Indicating Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description,i1reonnection with the accompanyters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to looms wherein the filling is replenished automatically, prior to complete exhaustion of the filling in the run-- ning. shuttle, the operation of thereplenishing mechanism being brought about by a the filling in the shuttle, and when suchfilling has reached a predetermined point of exhaustion the functional operation of the feeler device occurs.

Various types of feeler mechanism have been devised, all having the object of causing the automatic replenishment of the running filling prior to exhaustion thereof, and my,

a feeler-governor'and a feelermovable relatively thereto are arranged to enter the shut-' tle and. contact with the.- filling, a feeler-lock normally locking the feeler but releasing. it when replenishment of filling is called for, to permit the functional movement of the I have provided various features and doby the mechanism is improved and simplified,

tures of the invention.

Figure 1-is a plan view of one end of the lay of a loom, and the filling-exhaustion-indieating mechanism at the same side of the loom, embodying my present invention; Fig. 2 is a transverse section'and side elevation of some of. the parts shown in Fig. 1, on the line 22, looking toward the right; Fig. 3 is an enlarged top lan' view of the novel parts of the feeler mec anism, partly broken out, and showing. the feeer and feeler-governor in juxtaposition to "the filling-carrier in the shuttle, just as the. feeler is to be unlocked Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the feeler, feeler-' governor and feeler lock the latter in locking Specification of Letters Patent. Application flled october 21, 1908. Serial No. 458,768.

the feeler -lo in position toreleaseor unl Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

sion G constituting also the notched holding.-

plate for the'shipper, as usual, said extension carrying the transmitter H through which the action of the feeler is transmitted to the automatic. filling-replenishing mechanism,

which is not. illustrated herein as it constij- .tutes no part of my present invention and may be of any convenient form, Such as is set forth in United States Patent No. 789471, granted May 9, 1905 to 00d & Northrop.

In said patent'a transmitter is shown correspending to the transmitter H herein, the latter acting through the latch d and operating rock-shaft d, Fig. 1, to eflectthe operation of the replenishing mechanism as its said. atent. ihe transmitter is mounted to roc on a horizontal pivot h. and its outer end is bent I forward at h and in practice provided with a cam-slot, (not shown) as in said patent, through which cam-slot extends a controller I pivoted at its inner end one. vertical stud "5, Q said controller being normally maintained in the position-shown in Fig. .1 by a suitable spring 01*. When the upturned finger '1' on the outer end of the controller is engaged by a long armor prolongation of the feeler, at the time the latter detects the approachin exhaustion of the filling, the outer end of sai controller is moved forward and acts upon the cam piece h to swing the transmitter H on its stud h and effect automatic 'replenish- 9'5 ment of the filling, substantially as-in the patent referred to.

The feelerovernor, which also constitutes a carrier or the feeler, is conveniently made as a castin and herein comprises a flat, elongated be y 1 having at its rear end a laterally wide im inging portion or head 2,

and at its front en is prov dedwith a shank 3-, the feeler-go'vernorbeing mounted to re ciprooate 'in a holder or casing M of sult- 1,05 able construction, fixedly mounted on the alinement with a hole 8, see dotted lines Fig. 3, in the lower part of the boss, transverse to the feeler-governor and at right i impingement f the filling on the head 2.

as the lay beats up. hpon the body of the feeler-governor is formed an upright boss u on the top of which the feeler is seated,

sait boss sup orting a substantially vertical pivot or ulcruin pin 6, the boss being located adjacent the head at its inner side.

At theouter edge of the body 1 is formed an upright, circular enlargement 7 apertured angles to the pivot 6, for a purpose to be described. Between-the boss and said enlargement the bodyof the feele'r-govcrnor is open, as at 9, and forward of the opening a'tubular spring-seat 10 is formed on the body, all of the parts being made as an entity wh n the feeler-governor 1S cast,

insuring cheapness and strength and reducing machining to a minimum.

The feeler may be conveniently made of plate metal, stamped out and shaped by suitable dies, and comprises a substantially L-shaped body the long arm 11 thereof being prolonged forwardly and having a V-shaped notch 12 in its front end, the short, lateral armor portion 13 resting on the top of the boss 5 and being pivotally connected therewith by the ivot 6, so that the feeler may swing in a ateral lane relatively to the feelergovernor. Tie portion 13 is bent down at 14 and then horizontally nd extended rearward to form the impinging portion or head 15, adjacent the inner side of the head 2 of the governor, to enter the shuttle and impinge upon the filling. The broad flat top of the boss 5 affords a firm and extended seat for the feeler and with the pivot 6 prevents any twisting or distortion of the feeler at any time.

The feeler is normally prevented from swinging on its pivot by a feeler-locl-:, co1nprising a hub 16 pivotally connected with the fecler-governor by a pin 17 mounted in the hole 8 and the aperture of the bearing 7,

and a forwardlyextcnded, upturned tail 18 on the hub, acted upon by a coiled spring 19 to normally lie against the outer edge of the long arm 11 of the feeler forward of its pivot 6. As shown in Figs. 4-6, the spring is seatcdin the spring-seat 10 and its free upper end bears against the under side of the tail to operatively position the feeder-lock, a socket 20 in the upper face of the tail receiving a lateral projection of stop 11 on the feeler, to limit'spring-induced movement of the lock. 'lhe hub 16 enters the opening 9 and being hrld on the pivot 17 between the'bearing 7 and the boss 5 revents any lateral displacement of the, ock

upon the feeler, the'feeler-lock roclring on whi h the feeler mayswing. An 11 turned head 21 is formed integral with the ub 16,

a shuttle-hunter 23, which is adjustable by rotating it in one or the other direction, the

nut 24.

approaches, the feeler-lock is rocked and its spring 19 into unlocking t e up er end of; the tai being-thereby feeler arm 11, so that the fGQlGT lS free to swing on its ivot 6. The head 15 of the feeler ext'en s rearwardly farther; than either the head 2 of the feeler-governor or the hunter 23 of the feeler-lock, at all times except when the feeler is swung on its pivot.

the shuttle, the filling impinges upon the head of the feeler as the la 'beats up and the feeler, feeler-governor, and feeler-lock are moved forward as a unit, with thelay, and are returned by the spring 4 as the lay swings back, the cooperation of the lock with the feeler preventing any swinging moveuntil the filling has been sofar depleted that it does not encounter the feeler, and as illustrated in Fig. 3 the filling-carrier C is bare opposite the impinging portion or-head 15 of the feeler. Now the remaining filling F will impinge directly upon the head 2 of the feeler-governor, preventingcontaot between thefeeler-head and the bare body of the filling-carrier and the feeler-governor and parts therein will be reciprocated, by the lay and the spring 4, until the illling has been woven oif sufiiciently to permit the shuttle-body to engage the hunter 28 of the feeler-lock, this condition being shown in Fig. 3. Thereupon the lay, when itbeats up, will cause the shuttle-body first to hit the hunter 23, the blow shown in Fig. 5, thereby unlocking the fecler,

and then the filling F, Fig. 3, encounters the feeler-governor and all the parts are moved forward, but as'the feeler does not yet irnpinge upon anything it remains idle and does not swing on; its pivot, though unlocked.

This action continues until furtherde 'iletion of the filling permits the feeler to impinge on the bare body ofthe filling-carrier prior to impingement of the filling upon the feelers overnor, and as the feeler'is unlocked it will e swung on its pivot to bring its notch 12 behindthe finger-I of the controller. Then i and insures a firm and secure locki'n actionan axis at right angles to the axis 6 on threadrd to receive the. screw-shank 22 of adjustment being maintained by a check-1.

When the front wall of the, shuttle engages the'bunter, as filling exhaustion tail 18 is depressed against the stress of the position, Flgf'5,

Normally, while there is ample filling in ment of the'latter, This action continues,

rocking the feeler-locl: into. the position lowere out of the "path of movement of the as the feeler-governor and feel'er are moved.

- the controller I is swung forward on its pivot 71, swinging transmitter H and therethrough enecting replenishment of the It will be manifest that. the efiective or functional action of the feeler is dependent simply upon the difference in the diameters of the residue of filling on the iillinicarrier whole may be clearly understood.

and the adjacent bare or denuded. such filling-carrier. I

The operationhas been given somewhat in detail in-order that-the mechanism asa' The spring 19 which operatively positions the feeler-lock is light in comparison to the spring 4 which eiiects the return or back f:

ward stroke of the feeler-governor and its ali juncts, so that the blowoi' theshuitle-body on the hunter will cause a quick movement face thereof.

. ment of the various parts is smooth, easy of the feeler-lock into inoperative position unlocking the feeler. As the feeler is fiiade of relatively thin plate metal I have shown the rear end of the head bent down, at 15", to increase the thickness of the impinging By adjustment of the bunter 23 the unlocking of the feeler is hastened or retarded,

according to circumstances, and also to acoommodate shuttles of different widths, as

will be obvious. I p

I have aimedherein to provide a firm, strong and durable structure, which can be readily manufactured at a relativrly low cost, and so arranged that therelative move.-

and true, the various hearings or, ivotal connections being constructed wit 3 that end in view. I

The casing M has an abutment m thereon across which the inner edge of the feelerj arm 11 slides while the feeler is locked, and

the opposite or outeredgeis engaged by a plunger 25 slidably mounted in a housing m, on the casing'and acted upon by a rather light coiled spring 26, Fig. 3, .the outer endof the housing being closed by a coverlate m This plunger acts, when. the fee er is unlocked but idle, to prevent-any swinging movement of the feeler which might occur due to vibration or jarring of the loom, and also to'return the feeler to its normal position after its functional 0 eration heretofore described. When the fee or is-unlocked the tail 18 of the fe'eler-lock is depressed below the path of movement of the long feeler arm 11, as shown in Fi 5, and the said armis swung over above t e tail when the effective. or functional action of the feeler occurs. Were it not for the spring controlled plunger 25 the feeler might. and probably would remain in abnormal position after fillingreplenishment for an indefinite time, which would be objectionable. As it is the plunger promptly restores the feeler to normalposition when the s ring 4 moves the feelergovernor and its adjuncts back after nlhng replenishment, so that the parts of the feeler i inechanismare reset automatically in readiness for subsequent; operation. p

Havin fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent'is:-

goir'ernorjfand a feeler movable therewith and r'elativelythereto, an upright pivot on the former, on-which the latter may swing with theifeeler to-.1oc k.it from swinglng movement-,;a pivotal conne'ofion'ibetween the feeler governor and the'feeler-lock i papallel the feeler-lock and rendering the latter a1.- operativewhen the shuttle engages the ,bunter. r 3- 2;. A loom having a'reci iorcatingfeelerwith' the feeler to lock it from swinging move ment, a pivotal connection between. the feeler-governor and the feeler-lock, at right angles to the feeler pivot, a spring to move a hunter on said lock, to rock t e latter intoinoperative position by engagement with the shuttle. i

3. A loom having a reciprocating feelerthe huttle '-to cooperate with the filling therein','a pivotal connection between the feeler and governor, at right angles to its path of movement, a feeler-lock normally cooperate with and limit spring-induced tivelyposition the feeler-lock, and a shuttle* hunter on the latter, to engage the shuttle.

position when the .filling in the shuttle is exhausted to a predetermined extent. 1

boss, -a,vertic pivot for the ieeler, mounted to the-plane in which the feeder swings, aird ,Jan} adjustable shuttle-hunter mounted on "gQvernor'and a feeler moya e therewith and relatively thereto, an upright pivot on. the. former, on which the lattero-may swinglaterally, a feeler-lock normallyoooperating the feeler-lock into operative osltion; and.

pivot and having a tail to normally engagethe side of the feeler and prevent lateral movement thereof, a stop on the feeder to movement of the look, a sprmg to ope'raand rock the feeler-lock. mto inoperative 1; A loom having a reciprocating feeler- I laterally, a feeler-lock normallycooperating overnor and a feeler, both of which enter g cooperating with the feeler and preventing 5. A loom haviuga reciprocatin feelergovernor provided with anupturne boss, aaterally swmagmg feeler supported on' the in the boss, a rocking feeler-lock, a spring cooperating therewith to retain it normally in engagement with the feeler and prevent swinging movement of the latter, a horizontal pivotal connectionbetween the governor and the feeler-lock, and a spring-controlled plunger mounted independently of the eeler-governor and feeler, cooperating with the latter to restore it to normal position after it has made its functional movement.

6. A loom having a feeler-governor and a feeler movable relatively thereto, both of which enter the shuttle to cooperate with the filling therein, intcombination with a rocking feeler-lock. hi'ch normally locks'the feeler, but, when the filling demands re- I plenishment, releases-and thereby permits the functional movement of the feeler, and a horizontal pivotal connection between the .feeler-lock and feeler-governor, transverse to the latter.

7. An automatic filling-replenishing loom having, in combination, a reciprocating feeler-governor, a feeler. pivotally mounted I mounte loc 3 mechanism; and a controller therefor set in action when the feeler swings on the feeler governor.

8. An automaticfilling-replenishing loom having a reciprocating feeler-governor having an u right boss, a feeler seated there u on'an having its rear end downturned a j acent the rear end of the overnor, both of said parts entering the shutt e to cooperate with the filling therein;'a vertical pivot for the feeler, sustained by the boss, to permit lateral swinging movement of the feeler; a feeler-lock to normally look the feeler and prevent its functional, swinging movement,

said feelerlock having, an upturned head an adjustable shuttle-hunter carried by the head; a spring interposed between the governor and the feelerlock to operatively position the latter; a horizontalpivotal 'connection between the lock and governor and transverse to the latter, and a controller for the filling-replenishingmechanism, which is set in action by en agement with the feeler and only when the atter swings.

9. A loom having a reci rocating feeler governor provided with a at seat, a laterally swinging feeler supported on the seat, an

upright ivot connecting the feeler and theseat an ,at right angles to the feeler-governor, a feeler-lock to normally look the feeler from swinging movement, a-pivotal connection between the feeler lock and feelergovernor, transverse to the, latter and at right angles to the feeler-pivot, a hunter on the feeler-lock, to be struck by the shuttlebody upon substantial exhaustion of thefilling in the shuttle and thereby rock the fGGlQD-lOOk to release the feeler, a controller-- tn effect a change in the operation of the loom, said controller being set in action by engagement with the feeler only when the latter is swung on its pivot, and a sprin controlled device in sliding engagement wit the feeler, to restore the same to normal position after functional movement thereof and also to prevent accidental swinging'of the feeler when unlocked.

10. A loom having a feeler-governor and a feeler movable relatively thereto, both of which enter the shuttle to cooperate with the filling therein, in combination with a rocking feeler-lock which normally locks the feeler, but, when the filling demands replenishme'nt, releases and thereby permits the functional movement of the feeler.

1 1. A loom having a feeler-governor and a feeler movable relatively thereto, .to intermittingly cooperate with the filling in the,

working shuttle, in combination with afeeler-lock which normally locks the feeler,

but, when the filling demands replenishment,

is rocked. to release and thereby ermit the functional movement of the fee er, and "aa horizontal pivotal connectionbetween the": feelenlock' and feeler-go-vernor.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my' name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribingwitness'es.

. ALONZO E. RHOADES.

Witnesses t ROBERT JAMIso'N,

- EDWARD DANA Oseoon. 

